Life Stress Questionnaire

Have you had any of the following things happen to you during the past year? If so, simply circle one of the numbers preceding each of those items. Score only the items which apply to you.

Point Life
Value Event

15 Change in social activities

15 Change in sleeping habits

20 Change in residence

20 Change in work hours

20 Change in church activities

25 Tension at work

25 Small children in the home

25 Change in living conditions

30 Outstanding personal achievement

30 Problem teenager(s) in the home

30 Trouble with in-laws

30 Difficulties with peer group

30 Son or daughter leaving home

30 Change in responsibilities at work

30 Taking over major financial responsibility

30 Foreclosure of mortgage or loan

35 Change in relationship with spouse

35 Change to different line of work

35 Loss of a close friend

40 Gain of a new family member

40 Sexual difficulties

40 Pregnancy

45 Change in health of family member

45 Retirement

50 Loss of job

50 Change in quality of religious faith

50 Marriage

50 Personal injury or illness

60 Loss of self-confidence

60 Death of a close family member

60 Injury to reputation

65 Trouble with the law

65 Marital separation

75 Divorce

100 Death of a spouse

____ Grand total

Your total score measures the amount of stress to which you have been subjected.

A score of 150 or less is normal.
With a score of 150-250, one-third of all persons will experience illness or accident.
If you scored 250-300, you have a 50:50 chance of accident or illness.
Above a score of 350, you may be 75 percent sure of trouble in the months ahead.

Strategies to reduce stress physically and mentally.

Aerobic exercise
Affirmation
Avoid self-medication
Basketball
Bicycling
Bioenergetics
Biofeedback
Cry
Dance
Develop and maintain a positive attitude
Do something nice for someone else
Eat a nutritionally and calorically adequate diet
Early Riser Technique (maintain "work" routine)
Floatation
Gardening
Get plenty of rest
Golf
Handball
Hobbies
Hot bath or shower
Hug
Hypnosis
Jog
Jump rope
Laughter
Massage
Meditation
Muscle relaxation
Music
Nap
Physical activity
Play games
Poetry
Positive self-talk
Practice temporary insanity
Prayer
Progressive relaxation
Racquetball
Read interesting literature
Realize your own limitations
Roller skate
Schedule worry time
Share your stress (friends, family, teachers, counselors, help lines, psychiatrist, social worker, church official)
Sign a contract with yourself! Commit! read the contract regularly! ... and DO IT!
Stay organized. Set priorities. Make "to do" lists. Eliminate time wasters.
Swim
Table tennis
Take a class
Take care of yourself
Take deep breaths
Tennis
Time alone
Transcendental meditation
Visualization
Volunteer work
Walking
Watch a favorite movie
Watch a funny movie
Write things out
Yoga
Zen